Racing: Fitzgerald in race to be fit for top rides

Mick Fitzgerald escaped serious injury in a fall at Newbury yesterday but is determined to be back in the saddle for the big three-day meeting at Cheltenham this weekend.

The Irishman fell heavily when Mighty Strong, his mount in the Lane Fox Chase, hit the final fence when in a clear lead. Fitzgerald stayed motionless on the turf in front of the grandstands but, with the help of paramedics, he eventually got to his feet and was taken to hospital in a neck brace.

The jockey was later allowed home. "There's nothing broken but he's very sore," his agent, Dave Roberts, said last night. "He won't ride tomorrow, but he'll be back at Cheltenham on Friday. He's been very lucky."

Fitzgerald was replaced on his three booked mounts at Taunton today, but hopes doctors will pass him fit to ride in the Cheltenham "Open" meeting which starts tomorrow. His mounts would include Ceanannas Mor in the Sporting Index Cross Country Chase tomorrow, while Fondmort in the Thomas Pink Gold Cup on Saturday, and Tysou in the Independent Newspaper Novices' Chase on Sunday, are among his other major bookings for the weekend.

Rock Of Gibraltar, whose retirement from the track was announced on Monday, was named Horse of the Year last night in London at the first of racing's end-of-term hand-outs, the Cartier Awards.

No doubt there will be more gongs for Sir Alex Ferguson's admirable Aidan O'Brien-trained colt, winner of seven successive Group One races; this one was earned, at the expense of his stablemate High Chaparral, through votes by newspaper readers and racing journalists.

The system also put Kazzia and Islington (the top two fillies) ahead of Grandera (older horse) on the overall leaderboard. Other awards were to Continent (sprinter), Vinnie Roe (stayer), Hold That Tiger (juvenile colt) and Six Perfections (juvenile filly). Khaled Abdullah and Tony McCoy received special awards.

Great Leighs Racing will apply in the next few days for all-weather fixtures for 2004, following the British Horseracing Board's announcement that it is inviting proposals for new racecourses.

The Great Leighs site near Chelmsford, Essex, gained planning permission for a racetrack and permanent training facility in January 2002.

The plan involves the conversion of Essex County Showground, which has been privately owned by businessman John Holmes since February 1997.

Planning permission has been obtained for an all-weather oval track; a five-storey grandstand, with a range of spectator and hospitality facilities, restaurants, and bars; 110 race-day stables (in addition to the showground's existing 60); and a 120-box permanent training yard.

Storming Home, the first of the overseas arrivals bound for the Japan Cup on Sunday week, is settling in well, it was reported yesterday. The Barry Hills-trained four-year-old, winner of the Champion Stakes at Newmarket last month, arrived on Monday, and was later taken to the Shiroi Quarantine complex.